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Filofax: A5 vs Personal

I'm thinking of moving from a Moleskine planner to a Filofax (more adaptable and customizable). The A5 is the "desk"-sized version, the Personal is smaller. I'm curious if there are any Filofax users on the group who would care to comment on the virtues of either format. I am self-employed and usually at my desk (90% of the time), not running around to meetings and appointments, so I think I might like the bigger A5 size. At the same time, I don't want it to be so unwieldy that I don't take it with me when need be. Most of my bumps with GTD come in not documenting all my projects thoroughly, and in being slow to review, so I have thought the A5 might help me over those bumps, with more room to write. Yes, I've looked at both sizes in the store--just curious about any real-world usage.

Also, can anyone speak to how the Filofax paper holds up with fountain or gel pens?

Thanks,
Jeff


TOPICS: Lofi

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GOD's picture

At the same time, I...

JeffAbbott;6801 wrote:
At the same time, I don't want it to be so unwieldy that I don't take it with me when need be.

In giving my friends GTD advice I always urge them to go with smaller, but it really depends on how you intend to use it. If you're going to use it for your calendar and lists, then small is best, but if you want to do planning with it, them maybe you would need more room.

A caveat, however, is that you might be able to lay it flat and use two pages as a single surface?

Either way, your tools have to be fun or at least not offer resistance to their use.

JeffAbbott's picture

Filofax: A5 vs Personal

GOD:

Totally see what you're saying re portability--right now I use a Levenger Ballistic Pocket Briefcase for Index cards for capture when I'm out and about. And a Filofax A5 would still be portable (it's hardly an anchor--it's 9 1/4" X 7 3/4"). One could also take the lists out of the Filofax if need be (an errands list, for example), if you don't need the whole planner.

But I am really at my desk 90% of the time. I have heard of people having both a larger and smaller Filofax, and moving pages from the smaller to the larger when needed (such captured notes). But I don't want to start with two Filofaxes. :)

Happy Thanksgiving to those who are observing it today!

johnfitzgerald's picture

better late than never?

Sorry to reply so late after your initial post, but I've used Personal and A5 size filofaxes.

For me, a big plus of the A5 filofax is that it can take A4 (standard office paper this side of the pond) folded once- that means I can tuck things I need to remember into the filofax without lots of folding or worry about crumpling them. I can also use pre-printed refills from diyplanner.com without too much faff. And, of course, the A5 gives lots of space for note-taking. The narrow page width of the Personal really crimped my style.

All that said, the A5 is quite a lump to carry around...

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